NDSU ASA Student Chapter Launches Initiatives in Data Science, Outreach 

The North Dakota State University ASA Student Chapter held its inaugural general meeting on May 7, bringing together 22 students and six faculty for an afternoon of connection and community. ASA reimbursement funds supported a shared lunch that set a welcoming tone and sparked conversations between students and faculty that extended beyond the formal agenda. The gathering laid a strong foundation for a thriving chapter community. 

Looking ahead, chapter members outlined ambitious goals for the coming year, all deeply rooted in advancing statistics and data science across the region. One of the highlights is the NDSU Data Hackathon Competition, an undergraduate-focused event in which student teams of two to four will tackle real-world challenges in fields such as public health, environmental science, and economics using statistics, machine learning, and data visualization tools. The competition will feature faculty and industry judges, prizes for the top three teams, and a public showcase event open to the broader NDSU community.  

According to Kwame Danso Fenteng, founding president of the chapter, the initiative has the potential to be transformative for North Dakota. Fenteng noted it could help create a pipeline of data-literate graduates who are equipped to address the state’s most pressing challenges in agriculture, healthcare, and rural development—sectors in which data-driven decision-making is underused. 

Beyond the hackathon, chapter members are working to expand the chapter’s reach by establishing affiliate partnerships with universities across North Dakota and Montana, as well as in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Target institutions include the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, Minot State University, the University of Mary in Bismarck, Montana State University in Bozeman, the University of Montana in Missoula, the University of Jamestown, Concordia College, and Minnesota State University Moorhead.  

Through these efforts, the chapter envisions serving as a regional hub for ASA-affiliated student chapters, fostering a consortium of student statisticians across the Northern Plains who can collaborate, share resources, and grow professionally together. In addition, the chapter plans to provide members with guidance on ASA membership benefits, PStat and GStat accreditation pathways, and monthly meetings that blend professional development with community building.